


make it an old fashioned

by MythologicalHoe



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Mob, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gangs, Italian Mafia, Murder, Murder-Suicide, References to Drugs, Russian Mafia, Secret Organizations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-06-24 05:55:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15624054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythologicalHoe/pseuds/MythologicalHoe
Summary: The speak easy that Miss Rey Kenobi frequented was right in the middle of a territory war between the Russians (gangs like the First Order, Empire, and other branches of Mafia) and the Italians (The Republic, The Rebellion, and some homegrown terrorists like the Falcones, Krennics and Thrawns). That was enough to make any detective, even Ben Solo nervous. He almost wasn't let inside, and if any cop spent too long outside in this part of New York, they were going to die.Luckily, he had a man on the inside who got him in. And by man inside he meant his father. He wasn't proud of it and the two of them were estranged, but the old man owed him seven hundred bucks and this was one of the many favors he'd be cashing in to get his money back.At least the inside was nice, all dark wood and red velvet lining the seats. He saw her almost immediately. She was wearing a white dress that was revealing enough to be scandalous but not enough to be considered a harlot by the masses.Ben surveyed the room, most people were drunk and partying, but he saw at least twelve men in trench coats that were certainly not drunk that were eyeing him all around the room. They were probably armed.





	1. this is my roaring 20s

The speak easy that Miss Rey Kenobi frequented was right in the middle of a territory war between the Russians (gangs like the First Order, Empire, and other branches of Mafia) and the Italians (The Republic, The Rebellion, and some homegrown terrorists like the Falcones, Krennics and Thrawns). That was enough to make any detective, even Ben Solo nervous. He almost wasn't let inside, and if any cop spent too long outside in this part of New York, they were going to die.

  
Luckily, he had a man on the inside who got him in. And by man inside he meant his father. He wasn't proud of it and the two of them were estranged, but the old man owed him seven hundred bucks and this was one of the many favors he'd be cashing in to get his money back.

  
At least the inside was nice, all dark wood and red velvet lining the seats. He saw her almost immediately. She was wearing a white dress that was revealing enough to be scandalous but not enough to be considered a harlot by the masses. 

  
Ben surveyed the room, most people were drunk and partying, but he saw at least twelve men in trench coats that were certainly not drunk that were eyeing him all around the room. They were probably armed.

Rey noticed one of them glaring at Ben and she turned in her seat near the bar, a crimson smile crept up to her face and Ben thought maybe he should be a little more nervous. She motioned for him to come forward. He did, being stopped by a man who frisked him. He took Ben's pistol. He wasn't stupid enough to take his badge to her. The man glanced back at Rey who nodded and he let Ben pass.

  
This girl had to be only nineteen. Something he didn't expect due to the fact that she was Poe's on again off again sweetheart, and someone with more crimes on her record than most assassins in the area. "Han Solo and Leia Organa's son," She said. She knew he was coming. "I was expecting you," She was drinking champagne. Ben noticed something on her thigh he could swear was a gun. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

* * *

Phasma was the one who suggested working with Rey. Or as Poe and his gang liked to call her, 'Little Bird'. "Are you seriously suggesting working with a known criminal?" Ben asked. He knew a lot of cops in his station were dirty but he always assumed that Phasma was one of the only clean people left.

  
"Ben, I know this goes against every one of your principles but someone is killing both cops and gang members on Poe's side. She's Poe's on and off again sweetheart. She's also a lot more reasonable than Dameron, we can trust that she doesn't want cops or her friends killed."

* * *

  
"I wasn't aware that you knew of my family."  
Rey chuckled, "Please your father's one of the best suppliers around when he's not busy embezzeling funds and I quite admire that your mother was the one who put him in prison the first time."

Ben pursed his lips. His father told her he was coming. He didn't like him doing that.

"Yeah, she's very into law enforcement. Politics."

"It's ashame you took after her in law enforcement, I guess."

"Depends on how you look at it,"

"Right," She smiled, there was a mischevious twinkle in her eye. "So are you here to arrest me?" Ben could see her fingers tap against her thigh. She definitely had a pistol. Ben glanced at the bar tender. He was staring at Ben too. "Because I don't think that would end well for you."

"I'm not here to arrest you." Rey took her hand off her gun.

* * *

 

"Fine," Ben said. "I'll find her. But no sane criminal would want to help the police for free, so what are we giving her?" Phasma grimaced, Ben wasn't going to like what she said next.

"Immunity," She said. "From all police activity. And anything else she wants within reason."

* * *

 

"Oh?"

"I'm here to offer you immunity,"

"For?"

"All the crimes you've committed,"

"Allegedly abetted," She committed, "not committed. If you're looking for the committer, you're looking for Poe Dameron."

"I know," He said. "Still over two hundred counts give or take so, a spade's a spade."  
Her smile became less pleasant. "If?" She said.

  
"If you help me with a murder case,"

 Rey chuckled again, this time it was faker than before. Ben knew this was a longshot. She most likely wasn't going to want to help. "I hate to break it to you, Detective but I'm as dumb as a blonde, I don't think I could help you." She was about to get up and Ben grabbed her. Big mistake. Every gun in the place was turned on him. _Shit_.

* * *

Ben definitely didn't like what Phasma just said, but she wouldn't care. She was the boss. He followed orders. "I hear your dad's a smuggler, Solo." She said. He tensed a little. "Did you know he works for Rey now?"

"I haven't talked to my dad since he stole seven hundred dollars from me." Ben told her. 

"Two years," Phasma pursed her lips. "Well he owes you one and he was spotted at the same speakeasy Rey frequents. So cash in on a favor and go talk to the girl. Don't blow it."

* * *

 

Han was having a drink in the corner, staring at him, not giving a damn. He let go of Rey. There was a long, pregnant pause. All eyes were on him. "It's fine, back to your drinks." Rey called. Everyone relaxed, she beckoned for Ben to come with her. Two men were about to follow her but she called them off. They were lead into a small, insulated office type place. Sleek, dark, and stylish. Rey had a vase of fresh white roses on her desk. There were two chairs. One on each side. Rey sat behind the desk.

"Talk," Her English Accent shone through as she talked over the low thrum of people talking and music playing on the record player. "Or I'll kill you in here myself for wasting my time."

"Calm down, wouldn't want to get that dress dirty would you?"

"I don't give a damn about my dress, there's a bank that's there to rob at any time if I need money to buy more."

He raised his hands in defense. "Was just making a joke," 

  
"Stick to your day job."

"Okay, let me be frank, someone murdered my partner."

  
"Not my problem." Rey said.

  
"This person also killed two of Poe's men. A few of the Order's as well." Now that got her interested. "Anderson and Pava." Poe's men that were killed. She spoke like she knew them personally. They were probably her friends. That would work out to Ben's advantage. 

"You know the ins and outs of the community. Your help would be greatly appreciated to bring justice for your friends."

"How do you know this person is the same person who murdered my-" She coughed. "-Poe's men?"

"Same techniques. All severed an artery in the leg."

"Which leg?"

"Left each time,"

"Femoral."

"Was it clean or messy?"

"Clean,"

"It was a woman," She said. "She got in close but unnoticed. Most women can do that."

"Seems like you speak from experience." Rey leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk.

  
"Does that bother you?" Ben felt a twitching and growing heat in his pants. He thanked God that Rey couldn't see over the desk. 

"It doesn't," Ben said. "Most of the cops out here have taken their fair share of lives."

"And you?"

  
"I don't carry bullets in my pistol."

"That's not even daring that's just stupid." She giggled, her eyes were staring him up and down like she'd eat him for breakfast. "Did you grow up with a silver spoon in your mouth, Detective?"

  
"You know the answer to that," Yes. He did.  
"If I were to say yes, you would need to carry a loaded gun. Even though this is the border of Hell's Kitchen it's still dangerous as ever."

"No problem,"

 "So, if I were agree I would need a legal confirmation of immunity, plus a few more of my stipulations need to be highlighted in contract. I require a payment if I am to risk my neck helping the police force. Poe isn't the forgiving kind when it comes to pigs like you. Even though he's as much of a pig as the next guy."

“Of course. We can get that all ironed out when we go to the station.”

"No, I'm not going to the station. You need to bring the contract back here, and you still haven't heard my price yet."

"First, what's your price?"

"Police don't patrol the usual routes my sellers go."

"That's it?"

"Yes, easier trading route for me, more booze at an affordable price, more happy drunk people who come to me and give me money."

"I thought it was Dameron in the liquor business,"

"He is. I'm currently number one though."

"Fine. You'll get that in writing. Second, why won't you come to the station?"

"Because I wasn't born yesterday. You could arrest me if I go there. Why, is there something wrong with that?"

"I don't want to come to the same speak easy my father frequents. I don't know if you know this but he's kind of a deadbeat."

"Yes, I've noticed." She said. She took a piece of floral stationery out of a drawer in her desk and wrote down an andress. "My lawyers office. In town. He'll give you the proper number to communicate with and then I pick the locations in which we meet." There wasn't anything he could argue. This was a long shot and she was helping him a lot. He took the paper and saif thank you, "Go out the back, the doors next to the front and Mr. Dameron will be here soon. He won't like seeing you." Meaning Poe would kill him.

"What about my pistol?"

  
"You'll find it in the glove compartment of your car."

* * *

Poe Dameron was the type of man who was charming but full of shit, charisma and Rey had gotten him where he was today, if he didn't have either, he would probably be dead. He had radical beliefs on what the government should be doing and why it's an evil organization. Ones that Rey used to buy into. Now, she didn't care as much as she used to. 

He came into her office in the same damn suit that was always impeccably clean. He was smoking a cigar. Rey tried to hide the fact that she really didn't want to see him right now. She was getting really good at doing that. 

"Ah, Dameron. What can I do for you?" She said. 

"What, no sweetheart?"

"We're not together." She said frankly. "You promised only to visit me on business matters until further notice. So is this a business matter or-?" He grimaced. He obviously didn't like that, but it wasn't enough to piss him off.

"You're no fun," He sat down on the other side of the desk. "But yes, it's a business matter. Several business orders. Actually."

"Okay,"

"There were reports of that Solo kid being spotted out and about over this way. I was concerned he was coming after you." If only he knew. "Are you okay? Have you seen him?"

"No," she said. "I haven't seen him." 

"Well I'm going to amp your security up."

 "That's not necessary. I have twelve men."

"Let me do it for my peace of mind," He said. Rey didn't object. "Also, over half the NYPD is on my payroll. The other is on the Order's. So, if you get arrested you won't stay in jail, but I still wouldn't recommend it. Wouldn't want a pretty girl like you going to the slammer." Rey's skin crawled. 

"What was your other business here?"

"Right, other business. Pava and Anderson's killer. Any thoughts on what we should do when we catch them?" 

"You have a lead," 

"Maybe."

 "Share," She said. 

"As long as you promise not to do something stupid and go after her yourself."

"I promise," Rey said. "I do want to be there when you torture her though. I really want to have a conversation with the person who killed my friends."

"Alright," He said. "She's a First Order assassin, no one's ever seen her and lived to tell the tale. Called the Siren."

"Well then how do you know she's real?"

"Because no one's ever seen her until now, we had a sketch artist do several renderings of her face. Pava wrote down her features before the poor girl died. She must've known she didn't have long." 

"I need both the artist sketches and the written description." She told him. 

"Done. They'll be delivered to you tomorrow."

"Good, now get out of my sight." 

"Oh come on, sweetheart. Don't be like that." She rolled her eyes.

"When you cheated on me a second time was it because you could or was it because you weren't interested in me anymore?" That was enough to shut him up and get him out the door. 


	2. Mafia and Tobacco

Ben did everything that he was asked to do in order to get in touch with Rey again, and then he heard nothing from her. He didn’t expect her to show up in his home two weeks later at three o’clock in the morning. She had opened his fridge and taken out some leftovers. “Ah hello,” She said. “Did I wake you?” Ben didn’t know what to say, his brain was still foggy as he tried to wake up. 

 

“How did you get in here?” 

 

“Bobby pins are a very useful tool, Mr. Solo. It didn’t take much to get in here, you should really be careful when you’re working with a mafiosa.” She grabbed a casserole that Ben had made and pulled back to foil. “I’m starving, do you mind? Haven’t eaten all day, was busy doing—things you don’t need to know about.” Ben didn’t say anything, she just grabbed a fork from one of the drawers and sat down. He guessed that she would have done that even if he said no, he just didn’t want to get on her bad side when there was an investigation going on. 

 

“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to contact you for the past few weeks,” Rey raised an eyebrow, grimacing in fake concern. 

 

“Aw, really? I didn’t know that.” She took a bite of the casserole. “Mr. Solo, I didn’t know that you were such a good cook, I wonder why you haven’t snatched up a lucky woman yet.” There were plenty reasons for that. Ben bit his lip, trying to ignore the obvious flirting and focus more on the task at hand. 

 

“Where have you been?” He repeated himself. 

 

“Doing business down at the docks,” She said. “Which is none of your business by the way. But that was more pressing than whatever you were pestering my receptionist about.” 

 

“Dead cops aren’t pressing?” 

 

“The coppers have been bothering me for years, seeing a few of them dead doesn’t really break me up all that much.” That made his blood boil.

 

“Don’t say that.” 

 

“What?”

 

“Don’t talk about dead cops like that, it’s not—” 

 

“Respectful? Where I come from cops like to rape girls and then send them to the mental institution when they try to report them. I’m never going to respect a cop if they don’t give me a reason to respect them. Now you, dumb gumshoe, are an honorable man. I know about you and your history.” The way she said that last sentence sent chills through him. She took another bite of casserole. “I respect you.” 

 

“If you respect me, you’ll stop saying that stuff in my home.” She raised her hands in surrender. 

 

“Fine.” She said. “I won’t as long as we’re in your home. I’m sorry that I offended you, Solo.” She took another bite of the casserole. “Mm, this is really, really good. Why didn’t you become a chef?” Ben was still a little annoyed. 

 

“Why are you here?” He asked. 

 

“Because you wanted me to be here,” She said. “Isn’t that obvious? You have other dead bodies in the case and you need more intel. You need me.” 

 

“I needed you two weeks ago,” 

 

“You need me now,” He did. He hated that. He didn’t know what to think about Rey, there was something about her that got under his skin, but another part that admired her. It was obvious that the girl was smart as a whip, able to gain control of a large portion of Dameron’s stocks and an even larger portion of his army at just the age of nineteen. 

 

“I do,” He said. 

 

“So talk,” Her voice was soothing, even when she was insulting him. He talked, he told her about the three new police officers that were dead, saying that they were all clean and Rey laughed. “How long did you look into them?” She said. “And I mean really look into them,” 

 

“A week.” 

 

“Well, they’re not clean.” She said. 

 

“And how do you know that?”

 

“They’re on Dameron’s payroll. Were on Dameron’s payroll.” Something in Ben’s heart sunk. Of course. 

 

“How much of the police force is owned by Dameron?” 

 

“Forty five percent,” She said. “The First Order is a solid fifty.” 

 

“And the other five percent?” 

 

“Me,” She said. “I know, not very impressive but I’ve been slowing feeding off my darling sweetheart and getting my cut.” 

 

“You don’t own me,” 

 

“Are you sure about that?” She moved closer to him, and he felt that same burning sensation that he had felt the first time the two of them had talked. “Because I’m pretty sure that I bought you the first time we met.”  She moved away from him, digging into the casserole once again. “Anyways, dead cops on Dameron’s payroll. How were they killed?” 

 

“First body was killed the same way,” Ben said. “But the next, it started getting more violent. Like whoever’s doing this was showing off.” 

 

“And where were they found?” She asked. 

“Coruscant Hospital,” Ben said. Rey’s face became a little more grim when she heard that. “Is there something wrong?” She just shook her head, didn’t say anything. “Rey, you need to tell me if something’s wrong. Why is that important?” 

 

“She got past our guards. I got Poe to post guards to that hospital. That’s where I had women who need to get away from their husbands go to get new identities.” Ben didn’t know what to say to that. It was an honourable cause, but one he didn’t think that a criminal would care about. “I had it as secure as it could possibly get, so how did she get past?” 

 

“Calm down.” Ben said. “If you’re right and this assassin is in fact a woman, then she probably got through by saying that she was being abused by her husband or something similar like that. You can’t blame anyone for that.” Rey stabbed down into the casserole, leaving the fork in the middle of the tin, standing straight up. (It was becoming clearer that Rey did intend to blame someone for that). “Or she could have paid one of them off.” 

 

“You don’t know that,” 

 

“I can’t take that risk,” She said. “We’re a family, if we have a traitor in our family, we’re not safe.” 

 

“I thought you weren’t with Poe anymore.” Ben said. 

 

“I’m not,” She said. “That doesn’t mean I can’t be concerned for his safety.” This girl was confusing. “Thank you for your information, Mr. Solo. I’ll get back to you soon when I have intel that will be of use to you.” 

 

“Does soon mean several weeks?” Ben asked, he realised that he was at risk of pissing her off with that statement, but she seemed unfazed by that question.

 

“It’ll be soon.” She said. 

 

* * *

  
  


Rey went back to her apartment that morning with her bodyguards following her, but bodyguards wouldn’t save her from who was inside her apartment. She noticed the door was open, not saying anything to any of her guards. She closed it behind her but didn’t lock the door. It smelled of his cologne in the room. A pang of fear struck Rey as she remembered some of the less pleasant nights that she had spent with Poe. But she was older now. She knew how to defend herself. 

 

Rey knew what Poe was going to do, he was going to push her up against the wall in the entrance hall. Rey made sure she was already near the wall so he couldn’t push her too far. He did, he came out from her office area and pushed her against the wall. She didn’t yell out. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of that. “Where’ve you been?” He asked. 

 

“Out,” She said. “Attending to business.” 

 

“Really? Where?” 

 

“Let go of me,” She said. “And then I’ll tell you.” That didn’t work. Poe’s rough hands were tightening around her neck and she couldn’t do anything. If she did, she would have the whole mafia turning against her. 

 

“No can do,” 

 

“I was at the docks.” She said. “Securing you a deal, like you asked me too.” She hated her voice cracking, she hated acting weak, she hated it all. “That’s all I was doing baby, that’s all. I promise.” He let go of her. She could tell that he was drunk. The smell of liquor was only disguised by the smell of tobacco. 

 

“See, that wasn’t so hard.” He straightened his suit and Rey had to pretend to smile. It was an act that she would probably have to play for the rest of her life. “So, how did the deal go?” 

 

“Cannon complied, solidified thirty grand.” 

 

“I thought the deal was thirty five,” 

 

“I need to be paid.” Rey said. “I’m doing a service for you, I get my cut. It’s not like you need that five grand anyways.” 

 

“You little grifter bitch—” He moved forward, but Rey was quicker, shoving the point of the blade she kept in her pocket into his abdomen, but not stabbing him. It was just enough to make a point. “Ow, honey you’re breaking my heart.” 

 

“Sorry, baby.” She said. “But you don’t get to touch me unless I want you to touch me.” Poe smiled. 

 

“That’s my girl,” He said. He was dangerously close to her, forced his lips around her mouth. Rey almost gagged. She could see that damned Chief Detective every time she kissed him now. Rey took her knife and brought it down in an arc. A warning strike, tearing his suit. It didn’t actually pierce skin. That made him get away from her, and she was glad. 

 

“I may work for you, Mr. Dameron.” She said. “But I am not your girl. And if you want me to be your girl again, you’re going to have to do a lot damn better than that.” She had said this before. This time she meant it. Poe looked hurt, Rey was glad. She wanted to see him hurt. He hurt her all the damn time and just expected her to put out when he wanted it best. 

 

“And how do I do that?” 

 

“Come when I call,” She said. “Don’t underestimate me. Give me my goddamned cut.” He nodded, seeming to flush a little as she scolded him. “And for god sakes, you put your hands on me like that one more time, you won’t have hands.” That was a risky move, and she knew that Poe would put his hands on her again, but she was tired and she wanted him to go. “Get out!” She yelled. “Now!” He did, and Rey turned on the light and sat down when the door closed behind her. 

 

Rey’s apartment was nothing short of high end, only the best furniture was sat in her apartment, each thing costing a heavy penny. There was a blanket that she kept out on the couch when she didn’t have people over that she pulled over her.  She lived in the penthouse of her apartment complex, and all of her guards rotated out throughout the night, making sure that she would be okay. There was a chance that they let Poe through not knowing what was going on between the two of them. That was okay, she didn’t blame them. They didn’t know. 

* * *

  
  


Phasma pulled Ben into her office when he went into work the next day. “Have you made any advancements in the case yet?” She asked him. Ben shook his head no, knowing that he was probably about to get chewed out. “What about Rey?” 

 

“She said she would get back to me with intel,” Phasma nodded. 

 

“That’s good. But I need you to have something soon. The superintendent’s going to be coming down soon, and I don’t think he’ll be happy if he finds out that you haven’t figured out who’s killing our men.” Ben nodded, that was to be suspected. He was about to open his mouth to tell her that he would find something soon when there was a knock at her office door. 

 

“Just a minute!” Phasma yelled. 

 

“I don’t have a minute,” It was Rey. Phasma went pale. Ben remembered Rey saying that  she wasn’t stupid enough to come here. So what changed? Ben didn’t know, but he decided that it was safer not to question it. He opened the door for her. “Ah, Solo. What a pleasure?” 

 

“Why are you here?” He asked as she walked into the office. He closed the door as Phasma hurriedly started to draw the blinds.  

 

“Just decided to take a stroll,” She told him. “Someone wasn’t answering my calls.” 

 

“I was working,” 

 

“Well, next time you bug me about not getting back to you—” That’s the first time he saw the large folder she had with her. She threw it down on Phasma’s desk. “ — remember this moment.” She sighed. She looked uncomfortable, she was wearing a blouse with a neck higher than what she was usually seen in. She looked kind of on edge too. “I lifted some prints out of the hospital, you can use them for data analysis. We were able to get some basics from the print. Woman. Blonde.” She looked at Phasma, the woman was sweating. 

 

“Not you obviously. The woman was from Virginia.” Phasma bit her lip. Something was wrong. 

 

“Am I interrupting something?” 

 

“No,” She said. She was lying.

 

“I’m going.” She said. “Good luck with the investigation.” The door slammed shut behind her and Ben looked back to Phasma. 

 

“What was that?” 

 

“She caught me with Dameron a few months back. We were both drunk. I’ve been trying not to get on her bad side again. It’s been hard.” 

 

“You slept with a mafioso and then recommended I work with his girlfriend.” Phasma was about to open her mouth but shut it promptly. Ben moved for the door. 

 

“Where are you going, Solo?” 

 

“I’m going to catch up to her.” He said. “I’ll be back to review the intel later.” Ben opened the door, not listening to anything Phasma said. Rey was still outside, looking at her bodyguards who were trying to figure out what was wrong with her car. It was a Rolls Royce, must’ve been custom because Ben had never seen anything so sleek before. She gritted her teeth as Ben approached, but forced a smile. 

 

“Problem, Detective?” 

 

“No,” He said. “But it looks like you might be having a problem.” 

 

“Car’s not starting yet.” She said. “My men’ll fix it.” She shrugged. 

 

“You don’t look so good,” Ben told her. She grimaced. 

 

“You really don’t know how to talk to women, do you?”

 

“Just concerned. Phasma told me what she did.” His voice got low at the end. “I’m sorry, that must be rough.” Rey rolled her eyes. 

 

“Really don’t need your sympathy, Solo. We’re business partners, not friends.” 

 

“Doesn’t mean we can’t be both?” Ben smirked. He examined her as best as he could. Something definitely went wrong. 

 

“Are you okay?” He tried his best to keep his voice down so other people didn’t hear what he was about to say. “Did he hit you?” He already knew the answer. Yes. He did. 

 

“Overstepping your boundaries there, Detective.” She patted him on the shoulder right as the motor started up again. “That’s my ride.” She said. “I hope you like the intel I have.” She said. “It would be more. But the First Order is secretive. I got what I could.”

 

“I'll review it and get back to you.” She nodded, then went back to her car.


	3. dislikeness

 

Rey didn’t like to get drunk. Sure, she enjoyed the occasional drink and enjoyed supplying other people’s vices. Sometimes, it was necessary to get drunk though. Especially when it came to Poe Dameron. He came to the bar again, and he was kissing on some other girl. It was obvious what he was doing, every once and awhile he would sneak a look at Rey to see what her reaction was. He seemed to like the fact that she wasn’t happy. It wasn’t until the music wasn’t playing anymore and people were cleaning up that the other girl went home and Poe went to sit next to Rey.

“What’s wrong, darling?” He asked. She didn’t say anything for a minute, knowing what he wanted, knowing what she wanted. “You know you can talk to me,” He put his hand on her thigh and Rey swallowed, her mouth felt dry and she was feeling weak and the alcohol was starting to get to her. She knew that she had to be better, that she didn’t have to do what she was about to do next, she shouldn’t sin or do bad but damn she was so lonely.

She turned to look at Poe with tears starting to fill up her eyes and her cheeks burning. She was going back to him—even though she didn’t want to—even though each time he seemed to walk all over her feelings and she swore she would never go back to him again. It was kind of funny though, because maybe she deserved that. Maybe she didn’t deserve a good man. “Can we go home?” She asked. Poe grinned and put his arm over her.

“Come on, doll. Don’t cry.” He told her, “I’m going to make sure that everything is alright, okay? We’re going to have a good night.” Rey let his words soothe her, even though she knew that he didn’t really mean anything. The two of them rode to his apartment, which was a lot more expensive than Rey’s but far more masculine and with far more guns.  

Rey sat down on the couch, her head still buzzing. She let Poe take over. She let him take everything. Rey and Poe had never really had meaningful love, it was more of a comfort just knowing that she had someone there. That she wouldn’t be alone. She let it happen.

She was weak.

* * *

 

Rey showed up at Ben’s apartment at three in the morning again. She was eating some pasta that he had made and never finished, he had planned on eating it for lunch tomorrow though. “You really need to ask before you eat my food.” He said. She batted her eyelashes and smiled sweetly and then kept eating.

“I needed to let you know something.” She said. “Poe is going to be at the bar more now because we’re together again.” She didn’t look happy about that. Ben wanted to comment, to ask why, but he knew that maybe she didn’t want that. So instead he said something else.

“You deserve more,” She stared at him, trying to keep her expression blank. Then she went back to the pasta. She was failing miserably.

“I’m not a good girl, Mr. Solo.” Solo again. Ben bit his lip. Something was very wrong. “I’ve done bad things.” He didn’t know where this conversation was going. “But that’s besides the point, as a business partner and someone who made a deal with you, I’m just trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need protection.” She smiled, muttering something about how cute he was under her breath. “I don’t.”

“Let me put it this way,” Rey said, “you’re an investment, I don’t want my investment damaged. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, do you have any leads.”

“No.” He said. “But it’s only been a day—”

Rey got up from her seat and rolled her eyes. “Do I have to do everything here?” The closer she got to Ben, the more he could see the signs of insomnia and possibly even a hangover on her. She looked sick and tired and Ben didn’t blame her, especially when there was a man like Poe Dameron in her life. She deserved better. Even if she didn’t believe it, Ben did. There was something about her that just drew him to her.

“Rey, it’s been a day.”

“All the cops are dirty, find out which ones don’t work for Poe, then bring back a list. I’ll do what I need to do to get the information you need so we can get this over with.” Ben blocked her way out of the kitchen, but not intentionally.

“Rey,”

“Yes.”

“Calm down,”

“You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

“I know,” He said. “But there’s something wrong that you’re not telling me about, and it’s not your fault, you don’t have to tell me anything, but there’s no reason to immediately go to a violent tactic on this. We need to wait things out, find more evidence and then we can get this investigation going more, it’ll be okay, okay?” He didn’t think that talking to her was going to calm her down any, but it did. She blinked, and he saw some tension in her shoulders release. It was subtle but it wasn’t an act like she usually put on.

“You’re a good man, Ben.” She told him, getting a little bit closer to him, “Don’t get hurt.” She whispered. Chills went down his back as he moved out of the way for her to go.

* * *

 

These early morning talks became a thing that happened regularly, and Ben started making enough to feed two. He liked talking to Rey, it was interesting and she was witty but she always seemed a little sad. He wanted to know why. She was so interesting, and I don’t think that she knew that. He wanted to tell her that. He wanted her to know that she was a good person to Ben, and that was really all that mattered.

She would talk to him about going to Paris when she was fifteen and how she met all sorts of men that took a liking to her, but she would never do anything with them that she didn’t want to. She told him about how she could get money and manipulate people from a very young age, and it used to scare her caretakers, saying that she had the devil in her. “Do you worship gods?” She asked him one night.

“I don’t know,” He answered. “I don’t know if I’d want to worship someone that told people that they weren’t worthy because of something he made them,” Rey blinked, he could tell that she liked that answer. That night she looked like she was going to cry and there were faint bruises on her wrists, and she looked like she had been crying, but her makeup was perfect and until then she had been putting on an act.

Soon when she came by, she and Poe were done again and she was angry, she ranted for a while and Ben listened to her, “You shouldn’t let him anywhere near you.” Ben told her. “You’re worth more than that.” She obviously didn’t know what to do with that, because she started talking about this assassin immediately after that.

“Do you have that list of people that aren’t working for Poe?”

“Yes,” He said. “What are you going to do with it?”

“Give me the list,”

“What are you going to do with it, Rey?”

“You said that you thought that I was a good woman.” She said. “So give me the list.” Ben did, and she looked it over, starting to leave again. There was a feeling of despair in his stomach as he realised that he was making a very big mistake.

* * *

 

Rey was not a good woman. And she knew it. She knew that Ben might have thought otherwise but he was a naive man that was too good for this Earth. She looked down at the list of people who didn’t work for Poe as she rode down to the station.

It was easy to weed out the ones that she knew worked for the First Order afterwards. She had notified Poe and some others to bring enforcements and she strolled into the station openly when they parked. Poe was next to her and so were their men, filing through the doors.

It was Ben’s day off. “We’re here for the ones of you that don’t work for us.” Rey told everyone. Her voice was loud and clear and strong and her adrenaline was pumping. “We need to have a talk.”


	4. virtue and sin

“We need to talk,” Her voice was loud and clear, and for once Rey felt strong, once again. That rarely ever happened. “The people that don’t work for Poe Dameron or me are free to go.” She said. “Everyone else, stay.” Half of the precinct left. There was too many people there. They were heavily outgunned, and both Rey and Poe had demonstrated before that they had far greater fire power than anyone else in New York. Everyone, except perhaps, the First Order. “Glad that I have everyone's attention. Now, there’s this assassin going around killing your coworkers, your friends. If you know what’s good for you, anyone who knows anything will give me the information that I need.” 

 

Rey didn’t think that Ben would interrupt this process, but he did. He came bursting through the doors. “What the hell is this?” Rey felt her stomach drop. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Not while Poe was here too. 

 

“Excuse me?” Poe turned around. “Who the hell are you?” She prayed that he wasn’t stupid enough to draw a gun on Poe. He punched Ben in the face, and Rey cringed when she heard the sound of his ring connecting with Ben’s nose. He fell to the floor. Rey couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Don’t you know that’s not the way you’re supposed to talk to a lady, now you’ve offended her.” 

 

“Poe, this isn’t what we’re supposed to be doing right now.” 

 

“He needs to apologize.” 

 

“He didn’t offend me, Poe.” That didn’t stop him for hitting Ben. Rey couldn’t look. She couldn’t intervene. She just waited for it to be over.

 

* * *

 

Rey knocked on his door at eight o’clock at night. She usually waited for a while before she did that, but she was concerned about him. She heard the voice of an older woman behind the door, and Ben was there arguing with her, until finally he opened the door. He looked more than mad with her, and for some reason that just didn’t sit right with her. “Are you okay?” She wrung her hands together nervously, staring at him and waiting. He had a cold cloth on his nose. 

 

“I’m fine.” 

 

“I’m sorry,” She told him. 

 

“Yeah, that’s fine.” 

 

“Do you forgive me?” 

 

“Rey, can you just go? You attacked the place where I work, I don’t want to talk to you right now.” He slammed the door in her face. And Rey supposed that she should have expected that. But she just kept walking around his apartment complex, before finally she came back to knock on his door. “Why are you here?” He asked. 

 

“You said you didn’t want to talk to me at the time, now is a different time, and I brought some stuff to make sure that the cut on your nose doesn’t get infected. Can I come in?” He let her in and a bit of relief flooded over her as she came in. She put the bag of her groceries on the table and sat on the couch. For a minute, she didn’t speak. “I’m sorry,” She said. Her voice was low and vulnerable and she hated it. “I didn’t think you would be there when I went and I just, I needed to get information because I was getting information—” 

 

“I don’t want excuses, Rey.” 

 

“I know,” She said. “I know. And I’m not trying to make excuses, I’m just saying that that was my line of thinking and I don’t make good decisions and I’m sorry about what I did.” His face softened just a little. 

 

“Thank you for coming here to apologize. It’s fine.” 

 

“You’re not mad?” 

 

“Not anymore,” He shrugged. “You apologized, no point in keeping a grudge.”  He sat down next to Rey, and she felt her heart flutter just a little. “Did you get the information that you needed?” 

 

“Yes.” She tried to forget what had just happened and focused on the case at hand, the cop murders. That was what she was trying to help him with. She didn’t owe him anything else, just that. “I did, and more. So there’s a club called the Rosary, newest thing in town, where all the extra glamouristic criminals go, it also just so happens to be where our killer frequents her nights.” 

 

“Great, why don’t we get there?” 

 

“That’s where we hit a problem.” Rey said. “You see, it’s the most dangerous place in New York. Not just for cops. For everyone, including me. The First Order also frequents this club, and they’re friends with the owner. Poe and I, however, aren’t.” 

 

“Of course,” Ben rolled his eyes. 

 

“Hey, I don’t think you’d want to be friends with a trafficker, either.” Rey retorted, “that’s the one thing Poe and I refuse to dabble in. Humans have rights to their bodies after all.” 

 

“I didn’t know,” Rey laid back on his couch. 

 

“Yeah,” She said. 

 

“I destroyed one of his docks when I was sixteen, he’s had it out for me ever since.” 

* * *

  
  


Ben suddenly wanted to ask Rey why she destroyed that dock, why she knew who this man was in the first place, and why she got in the mix with the likes of Poe Dameron. He was still convinced that there was more to her story than what she was telling him. He would find out soon. “You want to stay for dinner?” He asked. She nodded. 

“I would like that.” She gave him a smile. “Are you sure that you weren’t a cook in a past life?” Ben shrugged, that was high praise coming from Rey. 

 

“Maybe, who knows. Anyways I made chicken pasta, but I don’t have anyone to share it with.” 

“I’m not sure if you’d want to share with me.” Rey said. 

 

“Come on, it would be my pleasure.”


	5. Lies based on Truth

Getting reservations was easier for Rey then she thought it would be, of course she had to go through a couple of back channels and cash in a few favors, but she was able to get three reservations for three separate Saturdays in a row. One for her, one for Poe, and one for Ben. She was able to rationalise the both of them going to Poe by reminding him of the people that this killer had taken out, how many of their men she had killed. He wanted to go in guns blazing, and Rey had bring him back a little. “Don’t be stupid,” She said. 

 

“What did you just say to me?” 

 

“I said don’t be stupid.” Rey stood up to him this time. “If we went in there guns blazing, we would never catch the person we’re looking for. We only know that they like to go frequent this club, that is all we know, and for this to be successful, we’re going to have to identify this person before we make them disappear. Got that?” 

 

“You’re  right.” Poe nodded. “What would I do without you?”  _ Die in an alley, alone and afraid.  _ Rey smiled and endured him kissing her before she went to Ben’s house that night. 

 

She knocked and he opened the door, “You shouldn’t be here right now.” His eyes were wide and he looked a little frantic. 

 

“And why’s that? Do you have a suitor waiting for you or something?” She secretly hoped that he wouldn’t have a suitor with him. That Ben Solo was single and ripe for the picking, because even though she had no chance ever escaping Poe and being with someone else, a girl could still fantasise about things. 

 

“No,” He said. “My—” 

 

“Ben, who’s at the door?” 

“No one, mom.” He said, his teeth were gritted, and Rey could tell that he was on edge right now. 

 

“Leia Organa is here,” Rey hissed. 

 

“Yes,” He said. “And if she sees us talking, she’s going to have a lot of questions and as someone who is very much for the law, I don’t think she’ll like the fact that we’re technically colluding together.” Of course. That little fantasy about Ben was popped for the moment. Rey reminding herself of what she was. “You have to go.” 

 

It was a little too late for that. Leia opened the door, and saw the both of them standing there. 

 

* * *

 

Ben sighed. Of course, the person catching him doing something illegal would be his own mother. Rey stood there, suddenly completely losing that tough demeanor that she had before and seeming more like a frightened girl. “Ben,” Leia’s voice was bordering on murder. Rey broke out into tears, and Ben had no idea what was going on when Rey threw herself in Leia’s arms. 

 

“Oh, Miss Organa, you have to help me.” She was acting. “I don’t know who else I can turn to.” Leia was suddenly very distracted with the crying girl on her shoulder. Everyone went inside and Ben said nothing, curious to see what tale Rey was going to spin to explain away her coming to him. Rey sat down on the couch next to Miss Organa and told her, “Dameron’s gone insane, I mean, he’s always been insane. We met when I was sixteen and he brought me out of the sex trade that my parents sold me into.” Ben’s stomach turned, he felt like that part was real. “He beats me every day.” Rey sobbed, she pulled her sleeves up, showing some bruises that looked nearly fresh, “If I don’t do what he says it gets worse. I went to your son so I could see if I could get help. Get to a safehouse or something, I just don’t want to be a part of this life anymore.” 

 

Leia brought it. Ben couldn’t believe it but she did. She asked some questions of course, which Rey hastily answered, bringing out her best crocodile tears the whole time. Leia promised that she wouldn’t speak of this meeting and left shortly after, Rey laying back on the couch and sighing when Leia shut the door behind her. When they heard a car ignition start, Rey started laughing. “You should have been an actress.” Ben told her. “That was good. Really good.”

 

“Thank you,” Rey said. “I’m flattered.” It was almost too convincing. Ben just hoped that that wouldn't come back to bite them in the ass. “But now on to business. I have a plan.” 

 

“What’s your plan?” 

 

“I have three reservations to the Rosary.”

 

“Three?”

 

“You, Poe, and I.”  Ben felt his stomach drop. Rey might actually be insane. 

 

“Poe and I can’t be in the same room, you know that.” 

 

“You can if it’s a very very large club.” Rey told him. “I need a smart man there. Poe’s not smart. Not cautious. He’s muscle. Even though you technically have that covered too.” She lightly caressed his arm and Ben turned red. “He won’t see you. You will be going under Kylo Ren. Mercenary.”

 

“I am not going undercover as a mercenary,”

 

“Yes you are.” Rey said. “And I know you’ll be good at it because I stole your file. Fourteen undercover cases. All successful. You’re a good actor.” Rey’s hands traveled to the buttons on his shirt,  she toyed with one, but didn’t open it. He almost wanted her to. “Maybe if we catch the killer, I’ll reward you.” she smiled the same crimson smile that had pulled him in the first place. “I’ll see you later, Solo.”

 

“What about dinner?” 

 

“Things to do, places to be.” She told him. “Your mom’s lovely by the way. Tell her I said thank you for understanding my situation.”

 

That’s when Ben had it. “Wait,” Rey stopped, “when you were talking to my mother, how much of it was a lie?” Her shoulders tensed. 

 

“Me trying to get out,” Rey told him. “That’s it. Best lies are based in truth aren’t they?” Ben opened his mouth to say something. To say that she deserved better. But he didn’t, and she left.


	6. flash of blonde

Rey was smart, she knew where the killer liked to frequent their time, but she didn’t know how many killers there were. She didn’t know what their true motive was, and the killers wanted to keep it that way. “Are you sure that you don’t want us to take her out?” The woman asked. 

 

“Just watch, don’t engage.” Hux told her. “Make sure that she doesn’t see you. If you can separate her from Poe, go after Poe, slip this in his drink.” He handed the woman a powder that looked awfully similar to a sleeping drug. Something told her that it wasn’t that. “Take him to the back, get him in the car. If Rey sees him being dragged out, you drop him and go. She’s smart enough to blow the operation. Smart enough to blow your cover, and we want to keep a low profile.” 

 

“Right,” The woman said. “I can do that.”

* * *

 

The Rosary was definitely not a small, inconspicuous place, like Rey’s bar, Ben noted. It was something of high fashion and glamour. He was glad that Rey had supplied him with a more expensive suit, otherwise he would have had trouble fitting in with everyone else. He showed the bouncer the invite,  _ Kylo Ren.  _ That name made him feel a little dirty for some reason, although he wasn’t sure why.  _ Alright, remember.  _ Rey told him.  _ Here you can’t be a self righteous do gooder, you have to be a character.  _

 

_ Is that what you think of me?  _ He said.

 

_ It’s not a bad thing to be a self righteous person, Ben.  _ She had told him.  _ I’m just reminding you that if you show any sign of being a cop whatsoever, people will try and kill you, and I have to admit that I really like you, so please just be on your worst behavior possible.  _ He walked in, hearing the sounds of jazz music and smelling sweet perfume in the air. People dined and mingled and danced, some people putting on a rather scandalous display.  __

 

He heard a crowd break out in laughter and could see Rey dining with a few girls. He could feel that same heat in him that he had every time that he saw Rey. 

She was dressed more revealingly than she usually was today, with red lipstick that was red enough to be the devil’s kiss. She winked at him.  _ Remember the plan, you are not to be anywhere near Poe. You see him, make sure Poe doesn’t see you. You’re looking for a woman, someone who has the strength to kill people in the way she did. Don’t engage unless she’s doing something really suspicious. You just need a good look at her face. Try not to mingle with people.  _ Ben hated talking to most other people. He walked through the crowd, ordered a club soda from the bar, and walked around a little more sipping a little as he examined the crowd. 

 

_ If you do happen to get stuck in a situation where you have to get in a conversation with someone, remember the story I have set up for you, you’re an up and coming dealer who deals with opiods, you have a temper, and you aren’t afraid to pull a gun on anyone who questions you.  _ “Son.” Ben turned to see a man sitting at a table with a ton of drunk girls around him. Great. “Sit down.” 

 

Some mafioso told him, Ben didn’t see what else he could do but sit down across the table from him. 

 

“I haven’t seen you around here before.” 

 

“First time,” Ben fell into the character that Rey had made for him. He sat back, making sure that this mafioso knew that he wasn’t afraid of him in the slightest.

 

“Interesting,” The mafioso said. He looked older, a scar bisecting his face. “What’s your name?” 

 

“Oh! Kylo! There you are!” Rey came to sit down next to him, the mafioso tensed. Obviously he knew who Rey was. “Sorry, McGregor. This is my best dealer, you can’t have him.” 

 

“Resistance usually doesn’t come around here.” He told her. “What’s your business?” 

 

“Just wanting to check out the newest trends,” Rey said. She was playing dumb, even though she was far from it, she went to cuddle up against him a little. “What can I say, I heard about this place, and you know how I can’t resist finding a good place to drink.” He seemed to like whatever she was doing. It just made Ben’s stomach turned. “It’s a wonderful place you have here.” Her lips were right next to his ear. “I hope you’ll let us enjoy it more,”  

 

With that, she left, pulling Ben through the crowd with her.  

 

“Thanks,” He told her. “But I had that.” 

 

“No, you didn’t.” Rey said. “McGregor is a senior member of the Order, he would’ve figured out you’re a cop. He’s killed fourteen undercover cops in his day, made other cops disappear.” 

 

“Didn’t know you cared so much,” 

 

“Of course I do,” Rey said. She looked around her, “I have to go find Poe.” She said. “I can’t see him, but please just steer clear of him, I didn’t know he was going to be there.” 

 

* * *

  
  


Ben didn’t really know how to process everything that had gone down in the last three hours. In the last three hours, Poe got drugged, Rey was nearly shot, and a car was crashed into a store front three miles away from where they had been. “Did you see the person that drugged him?” Ben asked Rey. He was pretending like they just saw each other at the club. The wound on her arm was being stitched up as Ben wrote up a police report. Phasma was standing right next to him. 

 

“Woman,” She said. “Early thirties, blonde hair, couldn’t see much of her face, but she was tall.” If her looks could kill, she would have killed Phasma right now. “Listen, detective. I just want my sweetheart back.” 

 

“You don’t have to act,” Phasma said. “I know that you two went to that club.” 

 

“Oh really,” Rey hissed. “Did you forget that half of the people crawling in this place are on the First Order’s payroll? Why would you bring me here? Someone could poison me.” 

 

“I would feel so sad if you died,” Phasma rolled her eyes.

 

“I hope you get syphilis.” 

 

Ben told Phasma to go. “Want me to take you home?” Ben asked when a bandage was put over her room. Rey told him that she just wanted some dinner, so he took her back to his apartment, threw a blanket over her and started cooking. The two of them were tired and Rey was still trying to process what went wrong. 

 

“I’m gonna kill her.” Rey muttered. 

 

“What?” Ben called from the kitchen. 

 

“I’m gonna kill Phasma.” 

 

Ben stopped cooking. “Why?” He called. 

 

“She kidnapped Poe.” 

 

“How can you be sure of it?” 

 

“I know who shot me, Ben.” She said. Ben turned off the stove, going out into the living room. “Don’t give me that look,” 

 

“What look?” Rey muttered something under her breath, “Look, you’re tired. I get it. And I don’t like Phasma either but she’s one of the few people on the force who’s not corrupt. You gotta trust me on that, okay?” Rey closed her eyes as he got closer. Then she said it. 

 

“Will you kiss me?” 

 

“What?” She looked up at him, watched the heat grow in his cheeks. “What do you—” 

 

“Simple yes or no question, Solo.” She said. “You know what, forget about it.” She got up. 

 

“Rey,” He should’ve said no, he should have told her that he would be disrespecting her by kissing her when he wasn’t courting her. But he didn’t, he kissed her, careful of her left shoulder. He could feel her lips form into a smile as they pulled apart. She kissed him again, and things spiralled out of control. They made their way to his bedroom and Ben undressed her as tenderly as possible. 

 

“Are you sure about this?” He said. 

  
“Yes,” He didn’t want to go too rough on her, if this is what she really wanted. That night Ben ate Rey out. Neither of them were really thinking clearly, and in the morning Ben regretted it. Rey was gone, in her place a little piece of stationary that read, _Thank you for last night, — Rey x_


	7. my boy is dead

Rey had left Ben early in the morning. She was never to the type to stay, and she didn’t think that she ever would be. Ben could take it as a compliment that she considered it though. He could take it as a compliment that she almost did. But Ben was an honorable man, and she was shocked that he had even taken her up on her offer in the first place. Moreso shocked at the fact that he ate her out on his bed without question. If she had been completely honest, she hadn’t thought that he was interested in her at all, and she most certainly didn’t think he would’ve acted on such impulses if he was. 

 

Rey could not dwell on that though, she couldn’t let what happened between her and Ben become more than just a distraction, especially in this time. She had to look for Poe. She was more than sure that he would be okay but as she took over the assets of the Resistance and took command of the crew, the less and less she doubted that. The men that she controlled doubted her presence, found her to be weak, merely because of the fact that she was a woman, and maybe also because of the fact that she was so young. “You don’t anything about the mob,” One of them had told her. 

 

This feedback was something that she got more than once throughout the next few days as she tried her best to pull out enough resources to find Poe. But finally she had had enough. She had gathered everyone up in a large warehouse that had been cleared out for the day. She had her arm in a sling but she still carried a gun with her, as well as three faithful people with machine guns right in front of her. 

 

“Okay,” She said. “I’ve been told that some of you have a concern that I might be — what’s the word? Inexperienced, in the dealings of the mob. Does somebody want to come forward?” No one did. “Oh, come on. No one has even raised a gun yet, surely one of you men is brave and strong enough to tell me his feelings?” Someone came forward. That same man who’d told her that a young stupid girl like her didn’t know anything about how the mob was supposed to be run. 

 

“What’s your name?” She asked. 

“Curtis.” The man said. 

“Right, Curtis. So, I want you to speak loud and clear. Tell everybody you’re opinion, come on, share with the class.” She smiled tightly, seeing the unease in his face. It gave her a little bit of delight, even though she knew that she shouldn’t get satisfaction out of the misery of other people. Rey watched him struggle with the dilemma of telling the truth or not, wondering if she was really lying. Eventually he did tell the truth. 

“I just — I don’t think that women should be in charge of the mafia,” He told her. That was a start. Rey struggled to keep a straight face in this moment, “it’s nothing against you. You’re a real pretty, smart dame. I just don’t think it’s proper for women to be doing the dirty work.” This man clearly didn’t know all that she had done in the mob, all of her crimes, before Poe and up to now. 

“It’s very valiant of you to share your ideas, especially since we need to have a sense of respect here, as we look for Poe Dameron and make sure that he makes it back here alive.” She patted him on the back. 

“Please don’t kill—” Rey shot him in the head without a second thought, a small splash of blood splattering against her forehead. 

“Oops.” She took out her handkerchief, dabbing at the blood on her forehead before using it to clean the barrel on the gun. “Does anyone else doubt my ability to do the dirty work?” No one made any move to come forward. “Thank you very much, now I want everyone to go continue to look for Poe Dameron, and someone to dispose of the body.” She turned back to her loyals. “Send one hundred thousand dollars to the wife’s house as my condolences. Tell her that her next husband shouldn’t be as stupid as the first. I’m going to get a drink.” 

* * *

 

That drink just so happened to end being four drinks. That ended up resulting in her calling Ben and arranging for him to come over to her apartment. Rey waited for an hour and a half before Ben finally showed up, she’d been crying and drunk and a mess and when she opened the door she didn’t expect him to show up with food. “Wow, this place is fancy.” He said. 

 

“You brought food?” 

“Yeah,” He said. “I was already in the middle of making you something when you called. It’s uh, spaghetti. I was just worried about you getting shot and Poe being captured and I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.” 

“That’s so sweet,” She told him. “Thank you so much,” She let him in. 

 

“No problem,” He told her. “No problem.” He set the pasta down on the table, watching her carefully. Rey hoped to god that she wouldn’t ask him about last night. “So,” he said,  “how’s the shoulder?” She breathed a sigh of relief. 

 

“It’s been better.” She admitted. “I uh, I don’t take pain killers.” He wanted to ask her why, but he didn’t press it. He just wanted to make sure that she was okay. He served her and watched her eat before asking her if she needed her dressing changed. “Yes,” She said. 

 

He offered to do it for her, but she said no at first. He persuaded her to later, grabbing the bandages and antibiotics, she dropped her sleeve and let him do it, grimacing and muttering things under her breath the whole time. “You know, there must be something you can take to ease the pain.” He told her. 

 

“I’ll be fine.” She said. 

 

“You don’t sound fine.” Ben told her. He finished her bandage. “You need to take something.” 

“I’ll be fine,” She repeated. Ben didn’t push her anymore than that. He knew better than to do that. “Sorry,” She told him. “I’m just stressed.” He sat down next to her. 

 

“I get it,” He said, “do you have anything on where Poe is?” She shook her head no. “I’ve been trying to convince Phasma to put more into finding him, but she’s got cold feet. I’ve been looking for him too, but there’s no trace of him anywhere.” They were silent for a moment. That’s when Rey kissed him. It was a heat of the moment sort of thing, she didn’t know why she was doing that. “Why did you do that?” He asked. She opened her mouth, but didn’t say anything. He understood why she wouldn’t. “Look uh, Rey, I know you’re lonely but I don’t want you to do anything that you might regret, okay?” 

 

“Why?” She asked. “Why would I regret anything?” 

 

“Because what if Poe comes back.” 

 

“Oh, yeah.” She said. “I’m sorry, I really don’t know what I was thinking.” 

 

“It’s okay,” He told her. “In another life, maybe we could.”

 

“In another life.” Rey muttered, “I think I’d like that life.” 

* * *

  
  


It was two forty in the morning when Poe’s body was found. There had been shots fired on third street, and it was under Ben’s district. He showed up to the scene not much later, to find Poe’s body by a car. He looked like he been tortured for a very long time before he was released. Ben felt nauseous. He was going to have to tell Rey. 

 

There was a loud sound that was almost a sound, almost a scream coming from across the street.  _ Oh no.  _ He turned to see Rey running under the crime scene tape that they had put up. “Miss, you can’t.” Rey was in hysterics, she wasn’t listening. Ben caught her in his arms. 

 

“You can’t contaminate the scene Rey,” She fought against him, and it hurt, it hurt him to have to do this, but he waited until she stopped. Until she was crying and tired and the only thing he could do was walk her to his car and promise to take her home when he was done with the crime scene. 


	8. mourning

Rey was asleep on his couch.  She had been that way for hours. Although Ben couldn't blame her, she didn't stop crying as he drove her home. “You're going to make yourself sick,” He told her. That didn't help any, he knew it wouldn't. He pulled over to let her throw up at one point and then she was silent for a while before she started crying again. Ben hated not being able to comfort her.

* * *

 

_ Rey was sixteen and familiar with the cruelty of other men in bed when she met Poe Dameron, he was eighteen but that was so much closer to her age than any of the men that she had ever been with. “What would you like?” She asked. “A dance? Or something more intimate.” She was in something skimpier than a flapper dress.  _

 

_ “Were you performing last Saturday?” Poe asked. He was American. That kind of shocked Rey. “You don't have to be scared,” He said, “it's just a question.” _

 

_ “Yes,” Rey said.  _

 

_ “I thought so,” He told her. “I saw you,” He stared at her with such intensity, but it wasn't perverted like all the other men that she had been with. “I was thinking that half of the girls that perform here are way too young to be legal and then I saw you. You just confirmed it.” She swallowed, the air thick in her lungs. _

 

_ “What do you want?” Rey asked.  _

 

_ “I want to recruit you,” He said. “Not as anything sexual. You don't owe me any of that. But to make a name for yourself. For me too. I think you could help me. I'll get you out of here, you won't have to be with any man you don't want to be with ever again.” _

* * *

 

Rey hadn't eaten. “Rey,” Ben said, “I know you don't want to, but you need to eat. You threw up a lot earlier.”

 

“Get away from me,” She brought the blanket up above her eyes and curled up more. “I want to be alone.”

 

“I really don't think that that would be great,” Ben told her. “You're upset right now, it's not a good idea to be alone.” She muttered something under her breath that was probably a curseword and Ben ripped the blanket away from her. “You have to eat.”

  
  


* * *

 

_ “You...can get me out of here?” Rey's breath was staggered and cautious. She didn't want to get her hopes up. His face softened when she asked that. He nodded and she believed him. She really believed him. Even if that was silly of her.  _

 

_ “Only if you want to get out of here.” _

 

_ “I do.” She said quickly. “Please, I'll do anything. I can't take it here anymore.” _

 

_ “Take my hand.” He said. “Let me show you your true potential.”  _

* * *

  
  


Rey ate— but she wasn't happy about it— not looking at Ben when she did so. He felt bad. He wished that there was some way that he could help her but right now she seemed so far away. He hated feeling so helpless. 

 

“I'm tired,” She didn't even finish her plate. She normally always finished her plate. 

 

“You can take my bed.” He told her. She looked like she was going to cry again.

 

“You don't have to do that,”

 

“No,” He said, “I do. I'll take the couch.” Rey started crying again, and he wanted so badly to comfort her. He just didn't know how.

* * *

 

_ The first days with Poe were heaven. He paid for her to get out of that hellish place and she was so so happy. He brought her things and told her that she would be safe as long as she was with him. She didn't ask him where he got the money, she was just grateful to have a man that she could trust in her life. “Come here.” He told her, “I want to introduce you to someone special.” A girl in a slick pinstripe suit was there. “This is Pava,” He said. “She believes in the cause too.”  _

 

_ “Nice to meet you Rey,” Rey smiled so big, she had never had a friend before, or someone that could potentially be a friend. “I have some plans.” He said. “To get over to America, I have some oil that was owed to me that my greedy uncle got. I say that we take it back.” _

* * *

 

“Rey, you don't have to cry. I just want to make you feel better.” He said. “I want to make sure that you're okay.” She put a hand on his collar. “Rey, don't.”

 

“Why not?” Her hand fell flat. 

 

“You'll regret it.” He said. “And I can't let you do something that you're definitely going to regret later.”

 

“I regret everything I do.” 

 

“Rey,” 

 

“You want to make me feel better?” She said, “Ignore your morality for one minute,” She was so closed to his lips right now. “And just make me feel better.”

 

“No,” She shook her head and stepped away from him. 

 

“I don't get it,” She said, “you say you like me, but you won't touch me. Why?” 

 

“I don’t want you to regret this. You’re vulnerable right now. I’m not going to abuse that.”   
  


"I need to go."   
  
"You can't go." Ben told her. "You can't be alone."   
  
"I can't be here." She said. "I need to find the bastard that killed Poe. I need to kill them."

 

“Later. You need to rest.”   
  


"I can't rest." She said. "Get out of my way."   
  


“Rey.”   
  


"I can't just do nothing," She hissed at him. Ben didn't back down. 

 

“You’re not doing nothing. You’re recovering. And even though I don’t agree with almost anything that dameron was for I know that he’d want you to be safe.”   
  


"Don't talk about him,"    
  
"He'd want you to stay, to be safe."   
  
He would. Rey's lip twitched but she moved away from the door. "I'm going tomorrow." She said.    
  
"We'll see."   
  


"Go lay down," He told her. "My bed isn't the best but it's better than my couch,"   
  
"You should be in your bed."

  
“I’ll be fine. I’ve got some work I need to do anyway.”

  
"Ben?" She stopped before she headed to his room.

  
"Yes," 

  
"Thank you."

  
“You’re welcome,”

  
"I'm sorry I've...been difficult." Her voice cracked.

  
Ben softened. “You don’t need to apologize. This is a hard time for you. It’ll be alright. I’m here for you if you need me.” She blushed, and then went to bed, closing the door behind her. He just hopeful that she would be there in the morning.


	9. not going to end pretty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry i didnt update for a while, i got unmotivated bc no one comments but hope u like this, chapter after this may give you a heart attack , im working really hard on the action and I hope you like it a lot, please comment

She was there in the morning. Ben didn’t think that she would be, but he was a little more than happy when he found out that she was. She smiled when she came out and sat down next to him. She put her hand on his leg and Ben was burning. 

“Are you okay?” He asked her. “Can I get you anything?” 

“You’re so nice,” She told him, “but no, I think that I’m better than I was before.” The both of them had a silence come over them. Ben felt like Rey wanted to say something, but he wasn’t sure what, and he didn’t know if he should push her or not. “I need to go.” She told him finally. 

“Rey,” Ben said. 

“Don’t.” Rey told him. “I need to find the person that killed him, I know that you might not understand, but I need to. I really need to.” 

“And what are you going to do? Are you going to kill them? Or are you going to let them go through the proper legal jurisdiction?” 

“And what does it matter if I killed them?” She hissed. 

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” 

“I’d rather stumble through the world blind knowing I put the person who killed Poe in the ground than be able to see a world where the person who killed him get away with it.” Ben knew that he had to figure out how to calm her down. 

“Rey,” Ben said, “Look at me. We need to make sure that when we find this person, we don’t kill the wrong person okay? We want to make sure that the person we catch is the person that did it. They go through the proper channels and they get convicted and then —” Ben knew that he was going to regret this, he closed his eye and gritted his teeth, “I’ll turn a blind eye and you and your people can do whatever you need.” 

She was silent for a while, “Thank you.” She said. 

“I just want you to make sure that you’re going to do it for the right reasons, and I won’t judge you no matter what you think the right outcome would be.” 

“I wish that this was another life,” Rey said, “where I was good enough to deserve you.” She turned back to him, bringing her hand up to his face and stroking his jawline. “You’re such a good man.” 

“I think that you deserve more than you think you do.” Ben told her. “And I think that some time, if you wanted to be together still, we could be together.” Rey looked like she might cry when he said that. 

“I’m an impatient woman, Ben Solo.” She said. “I want you now.”

“I know,” He said, “I know. Now’s just not the time. Not when everything’s so chaotic.” 

* * *

 

Maybe Ben should have known that something was wrong when Phasma phoned and asked if the two of them could meet at her home, but he didn’t think that anything was wrong at the time and Rey was asleep on his couch, so he left with his gun and a notepad just in case this meeting would contain any sort of notes. 

He should’ve told Rey where he was going before he left, because he regretted coming here as soon as Phasma let him in her apartment. Something was off. “Ben,” She was tight lipped and tense. Tenser than she usually was. “So good to see you, after recent developments I think that it’s time we talk. Sit down.” 

He did, even though he felt uneasy. “What is it that you want to talk about?” He asked. 

“I think that you need to give up the location of Rey,” Phasma sat down across the table from him. 

“What?” 

“You need to give up Rey’s location.” Ben wasn’t going to do that, at least not until he knew why. 

“Phasma, what’s going on?” 

“I know you know where she is. I know that Rey trusts you and I think that would give us a valuable advantage to take her down.” Something happened. Phasma must have done something. She looked nervous. 

“What did you do?” His voice was ice. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to know what she did. 

“Does it really matter?” 

“Yes,” He said, “it does. Especially if you’re asking me to give up information of someone under Witness Protection.” 

“I’m the one that killed Poe Dameron.” It took Ben a second to understand what she had just said. But his stomach turned, and all of the sudden he felt very disgusted. Not just with Phasma, but with himself. 

“And the other Rebellion gang members,” The voice of a British man echoed from her bedroom, he came out. Hux, the second in command to the First Order, came out into the living room where Ben and Phasma were sitting. “Hello,” His smile was more of a smirk, and it sent shivers down Ben’s spine. “I bet you’re wondering why I’m here.” Hux said. “And don’t worry, I’m here to offer you a deal that I would advise you to take.” Ben already knew what he was going to say to this man. No matter what he told him, Ben was going to say no, even if it meant his life. He wasn’t going to give Rey up. “We’ve been aiming to take down the Rebellion for a while, and since it’s in prime position for takeover, all we need to do is take out the Miss’s. Which proving to be more problematic than we thought it would be. I guess I should congratulate you for doing such a good job in hiding her. If you provide her our location and let us deal with her crime in this city will go down twenty eight percent and keep going down as the years go by. Your mother can have a cushy retirement and not see any of our faces, and Rey will meet the ending she deserves for the crimes she’s committed. Plus we are offered to give you a large sum of money for your troubles.”

“I don’t believe in giving up names that are protected under legal jurisdiction.” Ben told him. “Sorry, but I can’t help you.” He knew that that wasn’t the right thing to say to the man, but seeing his face turn red was something that Ben enjoyed all too much. “I’m sure you have many more lucrative ways to go about this though.” 

“Ben, think about what you’re doing.” Phasma said. 

“I am,” Ben told her, “and I think that what I’m doing is the right thing for me, even if this small dicked gangster would like to tell me otherwise.” That’s when everything went to shit. Hux lunged at Ben and bullets tore through the room. Ben got as low to the ground as he could and he could see Phasma and Hux on the other side of the room as well. His gun was a few feet away from him. The bullets stopped and scrambled for the gun, broken glass from the window cutting his wrist. He retrieved the gun, hearing sounds of men screaming outside of the building. Then a woman’s voice shouting. 

“If you see Hux, kill him onsight. No one hurts Ben Solo.” Rey was here too. Phasma was the killer. She was the one that had done this all. This wasn’t going to end pretty. 


	10. Love Me

Ben was on the floor, quiet and not sure what was going on for a minute or two, and then the door burst open. Shots started firing and Ben wasn’t sure who was firing what until he looked around the corner to see two of Rey’s men shooting back at Phasma and Hux. Everything was hectic, part of Phasma’s wall was being torn down, and Ben could see Rey holding an ax in her hands. 

“Come on!” She said. She knocked down another piece of the wall with a few more blows and Ben went for it. The two of them came out of the room and Rey was pulling him along. 

“How did you find me?” He asked. 

“I had a feeling that someone was going to try and kidnap you. I put you on our protection list, people were watching out for you.” She had an iron tight grip on his hand as they walked down the hallway. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm okay.” He was still in shock about what happened, and he was glad that Rey was there, she pushed him out of the way as two people came around the corner and started shooting. She waited for them to run out of bullets and went running down the hallway, still wielding the axe. 

It didn’t take long for Rey to yell and tell him that it was safe for him to go down the hallway. The both of them ran, and Ben was starting to tell that Rey didn’t look as good as she had before that small fight. That’s when he saw it, the blood blooming on the side of her white shirt. 

He didn’t have enough time to mention that when shots started being fired from behind and Ben was struck in the shoulder. Rey was struck in stomach, but didn’t fall. She whipped around to see Phasma. “Oh you fucking bitch, I knew that you would be in on it.” She raised her gun right as Phasma came at her and shot her once in the shoulder, she was still coming. 

Ben got up as best as he could, pain starting to blur his vision. He didn’t know how Rey could even bear to stand right now. 

He guessed that he should just chalk it up to adrenaline. Something happened and Rey and Ben crashed into another apartment. Thank goodness that there was no one else in the apartment at the time. The both of them closed the door and double locked it before going to the bedroom. 

Rey tore a strip of the sheet off and went to work tying it around her wound. “I’m okay.” She said.  “Are you okay?” She asked. He certainly didn’t feel okay. He told her that he was fine, but Rey knew better. 

She stopped tending to her own wounds and turned to Ben, ripping more of the sheet up and doing her best to create a makeshift tourniquet. “We have to get moving."  She told him. He nodded, but before the two of them could think about anything else, they heard a very loud banging on the door. 

“Christ,” Ben breathed. Rey bit her lip, looking from him to the door. 

“Come on,” She told him. “Ignore that.” She looked scared out of her mind, her face pale and her hands shaking. 

He didn’t know what she was going to do, but he knew that he had to get her somewhere safe fast. She was worse off than him, and he didn’t even know how she was standing in the first place. “You know,” Rey said, “You would be a lot better off without me. I’m going to get you killed sooner or later.”

“You know that I’m going to stay with you, Rey. We’re going to stay together. That’s just how it’s going to be.” The banging on the door got louder.  Rey stared at Ben for a minute. 

“You’re such a good man, you know that right?” She bit her lip for a second and finally looked back to the door, and then back to him once more. “That’s why I’m sorry for what I’m about to do.” Ben’s stomach dropped as Rey grabbed Ben by the collar. 

She caught him off guard as she pushed him backwards and out the window. He landed five feet below, outside of the fire fight. The wind was knocked out of him for a second, but he scrambled to his feet and tried to reach the window right was Rey closed it and locked it from the inside. 

Ben felt sick. He couldn’t say or do anything, he just let the reality sink in that Rey was giving him time to leave and he booked it. He had to get to the police station. 

* * *

 

Ben came back with a few police officers that he knew that he could trust. The fire fight had ended and people had seemed to flee the scene. Maybe Rey wasn’t there anymore, maybe she was— He wasn’t going to think about it. He was just going to find Rey and make sure that he was okay. 

That was all he was doing. 

The scene was gruesome. There was blood everywhere and witnesses crying and telling them stories of the gang fight that had happened. They saw a redhead and a blonde flee the scene, but no one had seen Rey. Ben was still dealing with the bullet wound when one of the officers told him he was bleeding. “I’m fine.” He said. “We just need  to do what we came here to do and examine the crime scene.”

He needed to find Rey, but after an hour of looking through bodies and bodies of people, she wasn’t there.

* * *

 

He didn’t see Rey until five days later and he was escorted to Rey's apartment. He showed up there and sure enough she was there too, she had a blanket covering her and the fireplace was crackling. The bodyguard closed the door behind him and Ben rushed forward. “Oh my god, I was so worried.” Rey looked like she had been crying and Ben didn't know why. He sat down next to her and put his hand in hers. “I'm so glad you're alive.”

“Thanks,”

“Don't you ever do that to me again, okay? You scared me.” He hugged Rey without thinking about it, but she didn't seem to mind. She winced a little and sat back. “Are you okay?”

“Just tired.” She said. “You?”

“The guys at the station don't think that I'm telling the truth about Phasma.” He said. “That she was responsible for the murders.” 

“She's not just responsible for the murders,” Rey said, “she was the one Poe cheated with.” Ben felt a little more sick. “He was drunk off his ass and I don't think he was completely there but I know that she was damn near sober when I walked in on the two of them. But that's besides the point. I don't want to talk about her right now.”

“What do you want to talk about?” Rey shrugged, staring into the fire. She had only looked at him once so far. Ben squeezed her hand a little bit. 

“I think I'm in love with you.” She told him. He didn’t know how to respond to that. Ben knew that he was definitely in love with Rey though. “And I know that Poe died recently, I know that that wound is still fresh but I think it’s been made pretty clear that life is short.” Ben still didn’t know what to say. So he said nothing. “It scares me, how much I love you. When I pushed you out that window I thought that I was going to die, but it was okay because I knew that you could be safe.”

“Don't ever do that again,” he told her. “You're too valuable to me.” That's when she kissed him again, and this time he didn't feel bad about it.

  
  



	11. days with the one you love

Rey could feel somewhat of a warmth growing inside her when she laid in bed next to Ben Solo. She looked into his eyes and Rey no longer felt guilty for being in love with another man after the death of Poe Dameron, Ben was next to her. She could feel the warmth of his skin on her back, his arm was draped over her and she felt safe. Safer than she had been in a long time. She wanted to ask him if this was more than just a hookup to him, as it was to her, but that probably would’ve sounded stupid coming out of her mouth.

“Are you okay?” He asked her. 

“Yeah,” Rey said, “just a lot on my mind. You know?” She turned over to him and gave him a weak attempt at a smile. She traced a line up his arm with her fingertip, absentmindedly looking at his muscles. “You really are a masterpiece, you know that?” 

“I’m the one that should be complimenting you,” Ben told her. “You made my first time unforgettable.” Rey beamed at him, trying to make all of her fears go down the drain as she thought of the time that they spent together. But there was this fear in the pit of her stomach that she had never experienced before. She wondered why she felt this way, but then she realized it. It was an awful sensation that she didn’t want to think about, knowing that she now had something so precious that she could feel something inside of her. 

Rey got up after a minute and picked up her clothes and got dressed. “What are you doing?” He asked her.

“I have to go,” Rey told him. “But I’ll be back soon, and we can have some more time alone.” 

Ben looked like he wanted to say something, or possibly throw up, or maybe both. Rey didn’t know why though, they had just admitted their feelings to each other and spent the night together and Rey loved it more than anything else in the world. Rey couldn’t stay, she was starting to feel nervous at the moment. 

She left before Ben could say anything to her, knowing that he would convince her to stay when she needed to process everything that had just gone down in the past day. Or everything that had gone down since she met Ben. There was so much going on in her life that she didn’t know how she hadn’t had a mental breakdown yet. 

She could feel one coming on, and she didn’t want to subject Ben to that. So she went to talk to her gang instead, about finding Phasma and Hux. She tried to get stuff done and not think about Ben until she got back to her apartment, he was still there and he had started making food for her too. “You really don’t have to do that,” She told him. 

“I don’t know when was the last time you ate,” He told her, “but you’re not starving on my watch. That’s something I’m going to be sure of.” Rey wished that she could just tell him that he didn’t need to be so nice, that it made her feel guilty that he was so nice to her. She wasn’t deserving of it. Not because she had belonged to Poe, but because of the things she had done. 

“You’re gonna eat and you’re gonna like it,” Rey rolled her eyes at him but he didn’t seem to be giving up. He set out plates for them and the two of them mostly ate in silence. They were silent the rest of the night and Rey fell asleep on the couch next to him, only turning occasionally because injuries that she had suffered beforehand. 

Their days went the same way for the next few days, they would have sex, and Rey would try to find Hux and Phasma and fail. She would feel eerie about what the First Order was planning to do by means of attack and know that there was nothing she could do about it if she couldn’t find the people who had control of the gang. Then one day something different happened. When Ben was going to visit his mother, Rey woke up sweating from the hot weather, and feeling disoriented. 

She managed to make it to the bathroom before throwing up in the toilet. She got up off the floor when she was done, not feeling instantly better but a little less disoriented. She washed her face off and got some food out, still sitting at home when Ben came back. “You okay?” Was the first thing he asked when she came through the door. 

“Yeah.” Rey told him. “I just think that I might be sick.”

“Well I can go back to the store and get you some soup and other things.” 

“Later,” Rey said. “Just stay here, for now.” She told him. “I’d like to rest for a little while.” He nodded and told her that that sounded like a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Once she had cleared her plate he picked it up for her and put it in the sink. 

“Let’s go to bed,” Rey agreed and let him put her in bed. He laid down next to her and Rey felt safe again. She pressed into him and closed her eyes. 

“I should’ve done more today,” She muttered. 

“It’s okay to be sick every once and a while, Rey. You’re human. It happens.”  He kissed the back of her head and she smiled. 

“You’re too good for me,” 

“Stop saying that, I’m just enough good for you. I love you.” Rey felt like she wanted to cry right then and there. But she didn’t. She just fell asleep in his arms and felt safe, and grateful for the person that had come into her life at that moment. She couldn’t be scared of losing him now.

She just had to appreciate the time with the man that she had fallen in love with. 


End file.
